Product Data Import

/product-data-import — Product Data Importer

Takes raw, unstructured product data and formats it into a proper FF&E specification schedule. Input can be notes, a CSV, a pasted spreadsheet, or a conversation. Output is a formatted schedule as markdown, CSV, or written to a Google Sheet — using the same 33-column schema as /product-research, /product-spec-bulk-fetch, and other product skills.

When to Use

• Designer has a list of products in notes or conversation and needs it formatted for a deliverable
• A rough product list needs to become a spec-ready schedule with item numbers, quantities, and extended pricing
• Products from multiple sources need to be consolidated into one formatted schedule
• An existing schedule needs to be reformatted to match the standard schema

Step 1: Accept Input

The designer provides product data in any format:

Raw notes:

3x Eames Lounge Chair, Herman Miller, walnut/black leather, $5,695 each
2x Nelson Platform Bench 48", Herman Miller, natural maple, $2,195
1x Noguchi Coffee Table, Herman Miller, walnut/glass, $2,095
Pendant light for above the table - something by Flos, budget $800-1200

Pasted spreadsheet or CSV:

Product, Brand, Qty, Price
Eames Lounge Chair, Herman Miller, 3, $5695
Nelson Bench 48, Herman Miller, 2, $2195

A file path:

/product-data-import ~/Documents/project/product-list.csv

Conversational:

"We need 8 task chairs — Steelcase Leap V2, black, about $1,200 each.
 Also 4 monitor arms, any brand, under $300."

Accept whatever the designer gives. Don't ask for more structure — work with what you have.

Step 2: Parse and Enrich

For each product in the input:

1. Extract known fields: product name, brand, quantity, price, dimensions, materials, finish, category
2. Fill in from knowledge: If the product is well-known (Eames Lounge Chair, Steelcase Leap, etc.), fill in standard dimensions, materials, and weight from your training data. Mark these as "from reference" in notes.
3. Assign categories: Map to the canonical vocabulary defined in ../../schema/product-schema.md
4. Calculate extended prices: Unit price × quantity
5. Assign item numbers: Sequential within each category group (S-01, S-02 for Seating; T-01 for Tables; L-01 for Lighting, etc.)
6. Flag unknowns: If a product is vague ("pendant light, Flos, $800-1200"), note it as "TBD — needs specification" and include budget range

Category prefixes for item numbers

Item number prefixes are defined in ../../schema/product-schema.md under Item Number Prefixes. Read that file for the full mapping of canonical categories to prefixes (e.g. Chair → S, Table → T, Light → L).

Step 3: Present the Schedule

Show the formatted schedule as a markdown table:

## FF&E Schedule — [Project Name if known]

[n] items · [total qty] units · $[total extended] estimated

| Item # | Product | Brand | Qty | W | D | H | Unit | Materials | Finish | Unit $ | Ext $ | Lead | Notes |
|--------|---------|-------|-----|---|---|---|------|-----------|--------|--------|-------|------|-------|
| S-01 | Eames Lounge Chair | Herman Miller | 3 | 32.75 | 32.5 | 33.5 | in | Molded plywood, leather | Walnut/Black | $5,695 | $17,085 | 8-12w | |
| T-01 | Nelson Platform Bench 48" | Herman Miller | 2 | 48 | 18.5 | 14 | in | Solid maple | Natural | $2,195 | $4,390 | 6-8w | |
| T-02 | Noguchi Coffee Table | Herman Miller | 1 | 50 | 36 | 15.75 | in | Walnut, glass | — | $2,095 | $2,095 | 6-8w | |
| L-01 | TBD Pendant | Flos | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | $800-$1,200 | $800-$1,200 | — | Needs specification |

**Subtotals by category:**
- Seating: $17,085 (3 units)
- Tables: $6,485 (3 units)
- Lighting: $800-$1,200 (1 unit, TBD)
- **Total: $24,370-$24,770**

Presentation rules

• Group by category, sorted by item number within each group
• Show subtotals per category and a grand total
• Flag TBD items clearly — include budget range if given
• Show dimensions from reference data when you know the product; leave blank and note "dims TBD" when you don't
• Don't fabricate prices — if you're unsure, note "price TBD" or "estimated" and use the designer's stated budget
• Currency — default USD unless the designer specifies otherwise

Step 4: Ask for Output Format

Ask the designer how they want the schedule:

1. Markdown — stay in conversation (already shown)
2. CSV file — save as .csv to the current directory or a specified path
3. Google Sheet — write to the master product library using the 33-column schema

If the designer doesn't specify, default to saving a CSV file.

Step 5: Save

CSV output

Save as product-data-import-[date].csv with these columns:

Item #, Product Name, Brand, Category, Qty, W, D, H, Unit, Materials, Finish, Unit Price, Extended Price, Lead Time, Notes

Google Sheet output

If the designer provides a Sheet ID or says "save to my sheet", write to the 33-column master schema. Read ../../schema/product-schema.md (relative to this SKILL.md) for the full column reference, field formats, and category vocabulary. Read ../../schema/sheet-conventions.md for CRUD patterns with MCP tools.

Skill-specific column values:

• AG (Source): product-data-import
• AF (Status): specified
• AD (Tags): Item number (e.g. "S-01") + any project tags
• AE (Notes): Qty: 3 · Ext: $17,085 (quantity and extended price, since the schema has no dedicated Qty column)

Quantity handling

The master sheet is one row per product, not per unit. Put the quantity in the Notes column (e.g., "Qty: 3") since the 33-column schema doesn't have a dedicated quantity column. Also include the extended price in Notes: "Qty: 3 · Ext: $17,085".

Step 6: Summary

After saving:

✓ FF&E Schedule saved to [path or sheet]
  [n] line items · [total qty] units · $[total] estimated
  [n] items fully specified, [n] items need specification (TBD)

If there are TBD items, offer to research them:

Want me to research the TBD items? I can use /product-research to find specific products for:
- L-01: Flos pendant, $800-$1,200 budget

Pairs With

• /product-research — research specific products to fill TBD slots
• /product-spec-bulk-fetch — pull full specs from product URLs
• /product-data-cleanup — normalize the schedule after assembly
• /product-enrich — auto-tag categories, colors, and materials
• /csv-to-sif — convert the schedule to SIF for dealer procurement

Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

• Author: AlpacaLabsLLC
• Source: AlpacaLabsLLC/skills-for-architects
• License: MIT
• Homepage: https://alpa.llc/skills

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.